


Protector

by themortaltrash



Series: Bodyguard [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M, Set after 3x10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 07:27:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15138146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themortaltrash/pseuds/themortaltrash
Summary: Magnus huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly reminded of why he’d been sulking on the balcony in the first place. “I don’t need a babysitter, Alexander,” he said. “I’m an adult.”—Or, Underhill is ordered by Alec to be Magnus’ bodyguard now that his magic is gone.





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this non-stop for what feels like ages and I just HAD to post it. 
> 
> I hope you like it and constructive criticism is always appreciated <3

“Underhill is going to be here in ten minutes,” Alec warned Magnus from the bedroom where he was dressing, hair still damp from his shower. “Are you sure you don’t want to change?”

Magnus sat on the balcony with a mug of black tea, covered only by his loosely tied red silk robe and black boxer briefs. He shrugged petulantly, even though Alec couldn’t see it. “What do I care?” He grouched.

Suddenly, Magnus smirked, his entire demeanor shifting into something playful. “Unless you have a problem with it, Alexander?”

Alec appeared in the wide doorway, buttoning his cuffs with a disapproving look on his face. “I know what you’re doing. I have to go to the Institute for a Clave meeting in an hour, and there’s a huge pile of paperwork that I need to make a dent in; I can’t have you — “ Alec waved his hand accusingly in Magnus’ direction, “— distracting me.”

Magnus cocked his head and leaned back farther in his chair, smirk still plastered on his lips as the belt on his robe unravelled, exposing the long expanse of tan skin. His chest was dotted with variously aged hickies, and distinct finger-shaped bruises peaked above the waistband of his underwear. “I’m don’t know what you mean, darling,” Magnus purred. His unglamoured eyes shone in the morning sunlight, glistening amber.

Alec flushed red and strode over to him, yanking his robe closed and tying it tightly. “I’m _sure_ ,” he retorted. “I don’t care if you don’t get dressed, but please don’t flash the man.”

Magnus huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly reminded of why he’d been sulking on the balcony in the first place. “I don’t need a _babysitter,_  Alexander,” he said. “I’m an adult.”

Alec rolled his eyes. “I know you’re an adult — an adult with a lot of enemies that would be thrilled to hear that the all-powerful Magnus Bane has given his magic away.” He kneeled in front of Magnus and took his hands; wide, honest eyes stared unwaveringly into his. “Just...let me do this. Let me take care of you for once,” Alec pleaded.

Magnus sighed, resigned. “Fine. If it will make you feel better, I’ll let one of your soldiers waste his time here.”

Alec beamed up at him, and Magnus couldn’t find it in him to be angry. He knew it was the logical — and safe — thing to do, to get a bodyguard; but there was something about it that made him feel ashamed. Magnus had been taking care of himself for a very long time. He was the one everyone relied on — he was the dad friend. And now...he felt almost useless.

An soft knock sounded at the front door and Alec glanced at it before turning back to Magnus. “You sure you don’t want to change?”

“I suppose I could,” he relented, and held out a hand to help Alec to his feet before standing. Alec gripped his wrist before he could walk away and pulled him in for a quick kiss.

“Thank you,” he said. “I love you.”

Magnus smiled — he could never help himself when Alec said those words to him. It was a new feeling, to trust that he was loved. To hear those words and know absolutely, without a doubt, that it was the truth. “I love you, too,” he said, almost automatically.

Alec smiled back and released his wrist, swiftly smacking his ass with as he made his way to the door. Magnus yelped. “Hey!”

Alec turned, now walking backward toward the front door, and winked playfully. “That was for trying to distract me.”

Magnus huffed dramatically and spun on his heel, marching out of the room as he muttered under his breath. Alec watched him go, a lovesick grin on his lips. He wondered often how he was so lucky. How was he — a once closeted, grumpy Shadowhunter — allowed to love a man as beautiful and wonderful as Magnus Bane? And to top it off, that beautiful, wonderful man loved him back. Alec Lightwood was blessed by Raziel himself.

The knock sounded again, a fraction louder, startling Alec out of his reverie. He turned back toward the front door, away from their bedroom where Magnus had disappeared. He yanked the door open, a light flush high on his cheeks. “Hey, thanks for coming,” Alec greeted a bit breathlessly, earning him an odd look from the man opposite.

“You ordered it, sir,” Underhill said with a small smile. “Anyway, it’s my pleasure.”

Alec nodded once. They stared at each other for a long moment, Alec’s lips pressed into a closed smile as Underhill glanced into the apartment behind him. “Um, should I stay out here, or...?”

Alec realized suddenly how incredibly uncomfortable he was making this whole affair. “No!” he blurted, moving quickly to the side. “I’m so sorry, come in.”

Underhill chuckled quietly. “It’s quite all right, sir. I understand that this is a bit....” He trailed off, unsure. _Odd_  was the word that came to mind, but he wasn’t sure Alec felt the same. Maybe it wasn’t really odd at all? Maybe he was just worrying too much — and Alec probably wasn’t even /thinking/ about the fact that he’d asked his only other (out) gay Shadowhunter to guard his boyfriend. _I’m the head of security_ , Underhill berated himself, _why shouldn’t he choose me?_

“Unconventional?” Alec supplied helpfully.

Underhill nodded and stepped past him and into the foyer. He couldn’t help his eyes from going wide, flitting across the room in wonder. Underhill hadn’t been in New York yet, when his fellow Shadowhunters had gathered at the Bane residence for Max Lightwood’s First Rune Ceremony. He’d heard things — but he’d always assumed everyone was being dramatic. They weren’t, it turned out.

“It’s a lot,” Alec said. He closed the door softly and looked around, too. “It’s nice, though.”

“Um, yeah.” Underhill replied, feeling incredibly out of place.

“Thank you,” Magnus said as he approached a large framed painting on the opposite wall from Underhill. He was sporting a blood red button-up, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and a pair of heather gray chinos cuffed over black wingtips. “It took me absolutely _forever_ to find that painting, and it cost me a fortune.” He grinned. “But it was definitely worth it.”

Underhill nodded, speechless. “Definitely.”

Another long, awkward pause. “So,” Alec said, very clearly feeling uncomfortable as he put his blazer on. “I have to go. I should be back around seven. You’re free to go once I get here,” he told Underhill.

“Yes, sir,” he said.

Magnus pouted, arms crossed, but said nothing. His bodyguard seemed at first glance like a perfectly fine person, but he still didn’t appreciate his every move being watched. It was unsettling, good intentions or not. And, if Magnus was being honest with himself, he wasn’t entirely comfortable being left with a Shadowhunter that wasn’t Alec or a member of his merry band of delinquents. Especially now that he was so...defenseless.

Alec moved toward him, grasping one of Magnus’ hands gently and bringing it to his lips. He kissed the ring with Magnus’ initials engraved in large, curled letters (Alec’s personal favorite; he’d stolen it on multiple occasions, mostly on their traveling escapades) then the back of his hand. “Please, be good?” Alec begged, lips grazing Magnus’ skin.

Magnus melted. He rolled his eyes and sighed, a fond, love-struck smile on his face. “Like I have a choice now, Prince Charming,” he teased.

Alec smiled and let their hands fall, still clasped, as he leaned in to kiss him. He let his other hand rise to cup Magnus’ jaw, and Magnus’ fingers gripped the lapel of Alec’s midnight blue suit.

Underhill looked away to give them privacy. Though, he admitted, it did melt his heart to see Alec — his leader — in such a loving relationship. It was something Underhill yearned for himself, when he allowed it. When he was younger, all of his energy had been spent training. Fighting. Learning. Teaching. He’d kept himself so busy that he didn’t have to think about the way his heart fluttered when the new recruit smiled at him, or how he dreamed of hard muscles and facial hair rather than soft skin and breasts.

He hadn’t been lying when he told Alec that it was inspiring — their relationship. He’d even begun to imagine it: meeting a man, dating a man, loving a man. It was overwhelming, to say the least. But in the best way— a freeing way.

“I love you,” Alec said softly, pulling away. “I’ll see you tonight — dinner is on me.”

“I love you, too,” Magnus responded just as softly, his eyes glistening. “Don’t bother picking up dinner; I’ll make something. I don’t have anything better to do today,” he said, and blew Alec a kiss as he was shutting the door behind him; Alec motioned like he caught it and put it in his pocket.

“For later,” Alec joked and shut the door softly, leaving Underhill and Magnus standing alone in the foyer.

Magnus wrung his hands nervously, eyes flitting toward the bar. “Would you like a drink?” he asked.

Underhill shook his head. “No, sir; thank you, but I’m on duty.”

“Right, right.” Magnus was beginning to look panicked — a deer in headlights. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and he refused to look in Underhill’s direction. “Well, I’m going to get a drink.”

Underhill nodded. “I’ll be here,” he said, and leaned against the wall beside the front door. He crossed his arms over his chest and rest his head against the wall, closing his eyes.

“Are you going to sleep?” Magnus asked incredulously. Underhill’s eyes snapped open.

“Of course not! I have my hearing rune activated and it works better if I have my eyes closed. I’ll hear someone way before I’ll see them,” he explains. “I promise I’m taking this very seriously, sir, you don’t don’t have to worry.”

“I’m not worried.” Magnus sniffed. “I don’t need a babysitter, anyway,” he mumbled, and made his way stiffly to the bar.

“Of course not, sir.” Underhill returned to his position — head back and eyes closed. It occurred to him suddenly that that had been the first time Magnus had looked at him directly since he’d arrived. Without his magic, Magnus could no longer glamour himself — leaving his warlock mark exposed. Underhill couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable Magnus must be feeling — how vulnerable. He was ashamed that he hadn’t thought of it before. He and Magnus had never even met, and here Underhill was, intruding Magnus’ personal space, essentially in charge of his well-being. “I’m sorry that Alec can’t be here.”

“It’s quite all right,” Magnus said, and Underhill could hear the ice clink against the bottom of the glass. It crackled as he poured what smelled like whiskey. “He’s a busy man — I understand that.”

“But?” Underhill asked.

He heard Magnus sigh and take a sip. “Of course I want him here.”

Underhill nodded, though he was sure Magnus couldn’t see it. “I understand how difficult it must be. To have to trust someone you’ve never met with something as important as your life.”

Magnus’ breath hitched and he tried to hide it with another swig of his whiskey.

“And I know this won’t mean much to you right now,” he continued, “but I _will_ protect you.”

Magnus shot back the last of his drink and set the glass down none too gently on the bar top. “Because its your job?” He asked petulantly.

Underhill shook his head and opened his eyes, looking to Magnus. “No,” he said. “Because I respect Alec, and I respect you, and I will do everything in my power to help however I can.”

Magnus stared back at him for a long moment, like if he looked hard enough, he could see through Underhill’s lies.

Finally, he nodded. “Okay, then. You can help by assisting me with dinner later. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Underhill smiled. “I think I can manage that, sir.”


End file.
